Displays

Deroptyus accipitrinus (common name: Hawk-headed parrot)

The colourful crown of the Hawk-headed parrot is raised when the bird is alarmed, feels defensive or while courting. In a zoo, it is very rare to see the crown and even more difficult to capture it. This picture was taken by chance as I was hiding behind the trees. The unusual item (my camera) behind the leaves made them excited...

Photo by Mary Kantarelou

Shooting Data:

Camera: Nikon D80
Lens: Nikkor AF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G AF-S VR IF-ED
Sensitivity: ISO200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/60 sec - f/9, Aperture priority
Flash: SB600
Image: edited in Photoshop CS3, levels adjusted, sharpening added and resized.  

Long-tailed fowl (Phoenix fowl)

This rooster is one of my favourite animals. Simply put, he is stunning. He has plumage, colouration, attitude, the works. We were strolling around Attica park when I noticed him coming towards us surrounded by hens. His plumage was shinning in the winter sun and I approached to take a photo. He noticed the movement of the camera, stepped forward and started displaying. It was not an ideal shot as he was coming towards me still I was happy enough with the photo.

These birds are a cross between normal chickens (descendants of Gallus gallus, the red junglefowl) and the Japanese long tailed fowls, initiated by one of the Park carers. I was looking up the Onagadori fowls and was surprised to find out that the world record is held by a rooster whose tail was 14 meters long!

Photo by Marina Parha

Shooting Data:

Pavo cristatus (family: Phasianidae; common name: Indian peafowl, Blue Peafowl, Peacock)

Peafowl are most notable for the male's extravagant display feathers which, despite actually growing from their back, are known as a 'tail' or train. This train is in reality not the tail but the enormously elongated upper tail coverts. The tail itself is brown and short as in the peahen. The colours result from the micro-structure of the feathers and the resulting optical phenomena. The ornate train is believed to be the result of female sexual selection as males raised the feathers into a fan and quiver it as part of courtship display. Many studies have suggested that the quality of train is an honest signal of the condition of males and that peahens select males on the basis of their plumage. The displaying peacock is indeed a breathtaking image. I have seen it so many times since I was a kid, yet I am still overly impressed and taken by the sight of those symmetrical feathers, with the shinning blues and greens. One of those moments that you may forget to raise your camera... After I spent some minutes admiring these animals, I took some pictures of a peacock’s body in front of its raised feathers. In some of them I used flash in others not. The ones with the flash (like the one shown here) show far more detail albeit a bit washed out colours, while the ones without it resulted in richer colours but less detail (keep in mind the fan is quivered and the animal moves while displaying). 

Photo by George J. Reclos

Shooting Data:

Cygnus olor (Mute Swan)

We saw these birds displaying at Sale water park. The way they were fluffing up their plumage to gain that critical body mass was impressive. Even so, the birds retained their peaceful appearance.

Photo by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos

Shooting Data: